first-person shooterhttp://www.maclife.com/taxonomy/term/13828/all
enNew Details on Gameloft’s Modern Combat 5: Blackouthttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/new_details_gameloft%E2%80%99s_modern_combat_5_blackout
<!--paging_filter--><p class="p1"><img src="/files/u297092/mc5blackout_storm_over_tokyo_mica.jpg" width="620" /></p><p class="p1">It’s been some time since we last heard about Modern Combat 5, the latest in Gameloft’s iPhone and iPad military shooter series. In fact, <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/games/e3_2013_modern_combat_5_ios_handson_preview">we played the game</a> at the Electronic Entertainment Expo last June and came away impressed by the brief demo, and it was slated to debut last fall—but never appeared.</p><p class="p1">Now the newly branded Modern Combat 5: Blackout is “coming soon” to iOS, says the publisher, which revealed additional details about the game’s single-player campaign today. The story-led quest begins in Venice, Italy — which we played in our hands-on last year — where hero Phoenix attempts to procure WMDs from a terrorist cabal. Gameloft says the story then spins from there to various other worldwide locales, including a chaotic skirmish in Tokyo (teased in the concept art above), with an emphasis on brief and impactful missions.</p><p class="p1">Admittedly, the “Blackout” moniker can’t help but remind us of last year’s underwhelming Call of Duty: Ghosts on consoles and PC, which set its action in the wake of attacks that took out America's power and communications en masse. Granted, the Modern Combat series has never been shy about its inspirations, with <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/modern_combat_4_zero_hour_review">Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour</a> especially feeling like an homage of sorts to the then-recent Call of Duty: Black Ops II.</p><p class="p1">Hopefully it’s just a coincidence, but story is rarely a drawing point of the series as it is — and our demo last year showed an impressive new tilt towards creating tension and emotion with cinematic effects, which has us curious to see how the final experience turns out. And of course, that doesn’t even touch on the game’s multiplayer action, which has been the standout element in past entries. With luck, it’ll be made even better via the addition of iOS 7 MFi controller support, but we’ll have to wait and see until it launches in the seemingly near future.</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/new_details_gameloft%E2%80%99s_modern_combat_5_blackout#commentsNewsactionApp StoreCall of Dutyfirst-person shooterFPSGameloftGamesgamesiPod and iPhonemilitaryModern Combatmultiplayershootervideo gamesiPadiPhoneiPodTue, 29 Apr 2014 21:42:05 +0000Andrew Hayward19860 at http://www.maclife.comDead Effect Reviewhttp://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/dead_effect_review
<!--paging_filter--><p>Tell us if you've heard this one before. In Dead Effect, you assume the role of an elite soldier aboard a spaceship, where an infection has turned everyone into zombies. Odds are, this setup is not unlike one you've seen numerous times before, and unfortunately it's not just the story that proves so familiar. The weapons, setting, music, and enemies are all equally uninspired, and the gunplay is too weak to compensate. As a result, Dead Effect is a thoroughly run-of-the-mill first-person shooter.<br /><br />The enemies you'll decimate are dumb, even by zombie standards, and generally nonthreatening. It's easy to consistently stay out of their reach, and, aside from some blood, their bodies have no reaction to being shot until they're slain. Aiming is also a chore, with the controls using an ineffective combination of virtual buttons and joysticks along the lines of those seen in most other iOS shooters. Plus the levels feature so many repetitive environments that it would be easy to get lost if they weren't so linear. Movement is sluggish, thanks to the lack of a sprint button, and the "special ability" that slows down time seems more like a way to enhance the controls' usability than anything else. Drawn-out sequences that have players swiping along the screen to escape a zombie's clutches are needless, as is the process of tapping the screen repeatedly to open lockers.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u325188/2013/09/screen_34.png" width="620" height="465" /></p><p>It's difficult to not also call attention to Dead Effect's narrative elements. The story is unoriginal and uninteresting, but it's the dialogue and the voice acting that really cause it to stand out. There's a good reason that voice acting isn't common in mobile games, and Dead Effect exemplifies that with hilariously bad performances and writing. Take the following gem, for example: "And now the moment has come which I have been looking forward to. Finally we are meeting face to face. And one of us will die. But it is not going to be me, hahaha."<br /><br />As we laughed at the dialogue and became more accustomed to the controls, we found ourselves having something resembling a modicum of fun, because who doesn't enjoy shooting zombies? But those moments are fleeting, and for every positive element – like solid graphics and sound effects – there's something to gripe about on the other end, whether it's the dull upgrade system or unremarkable shooting.<br /><br /><strong>The bottom line</strong>. Dead Effect is an uninspired first-person shooter that does nothing original, proving most memorable for its hilariously awful dialogue.</p><fieldset class="fieldgroup group-the-bottom-line"><legend>Review Synopsis</legend><div class="field field-type-text field-field-product">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Product:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dead-effect/id670180265?mt=8" target="_blank">Dead Effect 1.0</a></p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-company">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Company:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
BulkyPix </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-contact">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Contact:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p><a href="http://www.bulkypix.com" target="_blank">http://www.bulkypix.com</a></p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-price">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Price:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
$3.99 </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-requirements">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Requirements:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch running iOS 6.0 or later</p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-positives">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Positives:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>Solid graphics and sound effects. Stat tracking for each level provides a reason to replay stages.</p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-negatives">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Negatives:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>Enemies don't react to being shot. Abysmal dialogue. Complete lack of creativity. Controls aren't very reliable.</p> </div>
</div>
</div>
</fieldset>
http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/dead_effect_review#commentsGalleryReviewsactionapp store reviewsAppLifeDead Effectfirst-person shooterGamesgamesiPadiPhone and iPod AppsreviewsshooterSoftwaresoftwareZombiesiPadiPhoneiPodWed, 18 Sep 2013 18:20:26 +0000Chris Pereira18096 at http://www.maclife.comThe Drowning Reviewhttp://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/drowning_review
<!--paging_filter--><p>Following a tutorial outlining its unique controls, The Drowning tasks you with a reasonable mission for a game about shooting zombie-like creatures: Clear out the area around a potential headquarters. Two minutes later, you might be confused as to why it's over when there are still enemies to slay. Soon, it becomes clear that that's all there is to the game's approach – a series of two-minute time attacks against endless waves of brain-dead enemies.<br /><br />Initial confusion over how the structure makes any sense in terms of the story aside, there's nothing wrong with this. The time limit keeps the game playable on the go, and it's the entertaining action – not the story – that provides the motivation for playing, anyway.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u325188/2013/08/screen_5.png" /></p><p>Unfortunately, even when you want to play The Drowning, there are times where it's unclear when you'll be allowed to do so. As a free-to-play game, you're limited in the number of missions that can be undertaken without spending real-world money on "fuel" (which, for most, will prove too costly) or waiting for a refill, a route which inexplicably provides no precise timer for when you can play next. Using a full load of fuel takes about 30 minutes, or far less should an enemy spawn behind you and quickly kill you – a scenario that unforgivably uses up fuel without granting any rewards. Even worse are missions you'll attempt only to find out your equipped weapons aren't capable of damaging its enemies. That's an unpleasant discovery that costs one fuel notch despite the lack of warning.<br /><br />Following a successful mission, items are randomly granted depending upon your performance, and are then used to craft and upgrade weapons. Crafting needlessly takes real-world time to complete as well (unless you pay, of course), and upgrades are confusing and at times pointless, as they often result in no notable enhancement. A lack of sufficient information is routinely a problem throughout the game.<br /><br />The Drowning's much-ballyhooed controls are effective and easy to learn, if imperfect for times when you need to switch from firing at close range to long range, or when you need to get away in a hurry. Touchscreen-based shooters typically use awkward virtual joysticks and buttons that cause your hands to obscure the screen. The Drowning, by contrast, has you tap where you want to move with a single finger, and then tap with a finger on either side of an enemy to fire at the point in between your fingers. This setup is ultimately nothing revolutionary, but it is among the most usable for a shooter on iOS, which proves one of the game's saving graces. It's free, entertaining in spurts, and interesting in its genre approach on the platform, but the freemium drawbacks prove frustratingly significant.<br /><br /><strong>The bottom line</strong>. While certainly enjoyable at times, The Drowning's free-to-play implementation hampers the game to an inexcusable degree.</p><fieldset class="fieldgroup group-the-bottom-line"><legend>Review Synopsis</legend><div class="field field-type-text field-field-product">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Product:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-drowning/id553255786?mt=8" target="_blank">The Drowning 1.11</a></p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-company">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Company:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
Mobage </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-contact">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Contact:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p><a href="http://www.mobage.com" target="_blank">http://www.mobage.com</a></p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-price">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Price:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
Free </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-requirements">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Requirements:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch running iOS 5.1 or later</p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-positives">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Positives:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>Some of the best shooter controls on iOS. When fuel is plentiful and items are rolling in, the game has a good flow to it.</p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-negatives">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Negatives:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>Not enough information provided in menus. Failures and misguided mission attempts cost fuel. AI is woeful.</p> </div>
</div>
</div>
</fieldset>
http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/drowning_review#commentsGalleryReviewsactionapp store reviewsAppLifefirst-person shooterFPSgamesiPadiPhone and iPod AppsMobagereviewssoftwareThe DrowningTue, 06 Aug 2013 17:16:05 +0000Chris Pereira17709 at http://www.maclife.comBioShock Infinite Hits Mac on August 29http://www.maclife.com/article/news/bioshock_infinite_hits_mac_august_29
<!--paging_filter--><p>Following the <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/news/bioshock_infinite_announced_mac_win_free_copy">initial announcement</a>&nbsp;this spring of its impending release, Aspyr <a href="http://blog.gameagent.com/bioshock-infinite-mac-gets-a-release-date-and-pre-order-bonus/" target="_blank">revealed this week</a> that well-received first-person shooter sequel BioShock Infinite will make its Mac debut on August 29. The vibrant adventure, which is the best-selling multiplatform release of 2013 thus far according to NPD, launched on PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 back in March.</p><p>Set in the floating city of Columbia in the year 1912, BioShock Infinite follows private investigator Booker DeWitt as he searches for Elizabeth, a young woman with amazing powers who has been locked away for years. Following ample anticipation, BioShock Infinite launched to rave reviews earlier this year, with the PC version notching a 94 review average at <a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/bioshock-infinite" target="_blank">Metacritic</a>.</p><p><img src="/files/u297092/bio.jpg" width="620" height="349" /></p><p>Pre-orders for the shooter are open now from Aspyr's own <a href="http://www.gameagent.com/games/bioshock-infinite" target="_blank">GameAgent service</a>, with early buyers receiving free access to the Columbia's Finest downloadable content pack, which adds numerous in-game items to your arsenal. Additionally, GameAgent account holders will receive 20 percent off the list price of $59.99. The game will also be available from the Mac App Store and Steam on the release date, and the latter features Steam Play support to allow access to both the Mac and PC versions with a single purchase. Aspyr also plans to have the newly-released "Clash in the Clouds" premium downloadable content available at or near the game's launch on Mac.</p><p>BioShock Infinite is the third game in the celebrated series, though it takes place prior to the previous titles and features a brand new set of characters. The original <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/bioshock" target="_blank">BioShock</a> first debuted in 2007, transporting players to the dazzling underwater city of Rapture. Even six years after its initial release, it ranks on our list of <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/gallery/25_best_mac_games_today">The 25 Best Mac Games Today</a>. Sequel <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/bioshock_2_mac_review">BioShock 2</a> followed in 2010, and while not developed by Irrational, it proved to be another great, atmospheric first-person shooter.</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/bioshock_infinite_hits_mac_august_29#commentsNews2K gamesAspyrBioShockBioshock Infinitefirst-person shooterFPSirrational gamesshooterSat, 03 Aug 2013 00:15:17 +0000Andrew Hayward17695 at http://www.maclife.comDeus Ex: The Fall Reviewhttp://www.maclife.com/article/games/deus_ex_fall_review
<!--paging_filter--><p>Creating a new installment in the Deus Ex series is ambitious by definition. To meet the lofty expectations of fans (who've been perpetually on guard since 2003's disappointing Deus Ex: Invisible War), the games need to deliver freely explorable, believable worlds; unique characters who react to (and remember) your actions; multiple paths through their environments and multiple solutions to every problem; and smart, cleverly written storytelling rife with philosophical ruminations on the relationship between humans and technology.&nbsp;</p><p>To attempt all of this on a console or PC is tricky. To attempt it on iOS seems impossible, but — surprisingly enough — Deus Ex: The Fall does a competent job replicating the gameplay of 2011's <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/deus_ex_human_revolution_ultimate_edition_review">Deus Ex: Human Revolution</a>, albeit as a somewhat stripped-down companion story. As Ben Saxon, an "augmented" former mercenary with military-grade cybernetic enhancements, you'll work to uncover a plot by the shadowy Illuminati and their operatives, a merciless outfit called the Tyrants (who also appeared in Human Revolution). This involves a lot of sneaking and a lot of shooting — although mostly, it involves wandering around in a semi-open future version of Panama City for five to seven hours and talking to civilians, scrounging for useful items, or hacking your way into computer systems and locked rooms.&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u330237/2013/07/deusexthefall_1.jpg" width="620" /></p><p>The immediate question is how its controls work, and the answer is beautifully, provided you take a stealthy approach through the game. You can move Ben either by double-tapping on a spot you want to move to (double-tapping walls is also the quickest way to take cover behind them), or by moving your thumb in the lower-left corner of the screen — surprisingly comfortable, thanks in part to there being no fixed virtual thumbstick to keep track of. To look around, you can drag a finger across the screen or simply keep your thumb at the bottom-right of the screen. This works pretty well when you're just exploring and chatting up the locals, but things get tricky when it's time to shoot.&nbsp;</p><p>Selecting your weapons (through onscreen collapsible menus) is easy enough, aiming uses the same controls as looking around, and firing means hitting a small button at either side of the screen. When you're crouched behind cover or otherwise getting the drop on enemies, lining up a shot with your right hand and hitting fire with your left is simple, but things get a lot more difficult if you have to move, aim and shoot at the same time (thanks partly to the fire buttons being fairly easy to miss if you're concentrating on an enemy). Combat's an uneven experience, too; sometimes your enemies will be smart enough to use augmented abilities, flush you out of cover with grenades, and sneak around to get the drop on you. Other times, they'll go from alert to merely cautious if you can manage to stay out of their sight for a few seconds, and then they'll walk around out of cover, making them easy targets.&nbsp;</p><p>Thankfully, combat's never really been the central draw of Deus Ex, and you'll always have sneakier options for dealing with armed enemies. For that matter, you won't even have to deal with enemies all that often, as much of the game involves navigating conversations, taking on side missions for distressed civilians, and finding your way into places you're not supposed to be. This can be a lot of fun, but it shows a few cracks; many of the missions boil down to simple fetch quests (complete with waypoint markers to remove any real challenge), nobody reacts when you steal things right in front of them, and most of the shallow conversations involve cartoonish accents — although to be fair, that last thing is sort of a Deus Ex hallmark.&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u330237/2013/07/deusexthefall_2.jpg" width="620" /></p><p>It's worth pointing out that Deus Ex: The Fall introduces microtransactions to the series, although these are completely optional. At any time (even in the middle of combat), you can visit an in-game store through the pause menu to instantly buy items or upgrades with in-game credits, meaning you'll only be short of what you need if Ben's short on cash. Credits can be readily found throughout the game world, however, and we never ran low, so spending real money is more an option for those who want to grab the best guns and upgrades immediately, rather than earn them gradually.</p><p><strong>The bottom line. </strong>Defying expectations, Deus Ex: The Fall is a slick-looking, enjoyable offshoot — and while it doesn't feature quite the same level of depth or versatility as other games in the series, it's still a staggering achievement for iOS.</p><fieldset class="fieldgroup group-the-bottom-line"><legend>Review Synopsis</legend><div class="field field-type-text field-field-product">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Product:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/deus-ex-the-fall/id633443676?mt=8" target="_blank">Deus Ex: The Fall 1.0.2</a></p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-company">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Company:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
Square Enix </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-contact">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Contact:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p><a href="http://www.square-enix.com" target="_blank">www.square-enix.com</a></p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-price">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Price:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
$6.99 </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-requirements">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Requirements:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>iPad 3 or better, iPhone 4S or better, or iPod touch 5th generation running iOS 5.0 or later</p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-positives">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Positives:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>Big, open world packed with interesting things to do. Surprisingly comfortable controls. Lavish production values. Despite only being the first episode in a larger story, it takes around five-plus hours to play through. Microtransactions are unobtrusive and completely optional.</p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-negatives">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Negatives:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>Comfortable controls become awkward during full-on combat. Enemy behavior is uneven. Conversations and moral choices feel shallow compared to Deus Ex: Human Revolution.</p> </div>
</div>
</div>
</fieldset>
http://www.maclife.com/article/games/deus_ex_fall_review#commentsGalleryReviewsAdventure gamesapp store reviewsAppLifeDeus ExDeus Ex: The Fallfirst person shootersfirst-person adventurefirst-person shooterGamesiOSiPod and iPhoneSoftwareSquare EnixiPadiPhoneiPodGamesFri, 12 Jul 2013 01:15:00 +0000Mikel Reparaz17505 at http://www.maclife.comThe House of the Dead: Overkill – The Lost Reels Reviewhttp://www.maclife.com/article/games/house_dead_overkill_%E2%80%93_lost_reels_review
<!--paging_filter--><p>On consoles, The House of the Dead: Overkill took one of the most well-trodden premises imaginable — shooting zombies in first-person, on rails — and used it to create one of the most memorably over-the-top games of all time. Taking tropes from '70s grindhouse horror movies and cranking them to ridiculous levels, HotD:O was gruesome, hectic, and — as its characters clumsily shoehorned f-bombs into nearly every sentence — so deliberately crass that it was impossible to see it as anything other than a comedy.</p><p>The iOS version, subtitled The Lost Reels, scales all that back considerably. Once again following the exploits of Agent G, his absurdly foul-mouthed partner Detective Washington, and two hyperviolent strippers out for revenge, it does its best to approximate the original as players blast their way through two creepy environments (a dilapidated mansion on the bayou and a filthy-looking hospital) filled with flesh-hungry zombies. Power-ups and secret paths occasionally pop up to offer players something new to gun for, and while there are only three zombie types per level (or four, in the $1.99 "Naked Terror" add-on level), they mix up their attacks just enough to keep you on your toes, and to keep the action from getting too stale.</p><p><img src="/files/u330237/2013/05/hotdotlr_0441.png" width="620" /></p><p>Compared to the console versions of Overkill, The Lost Reels feels like a pale imitation. Its characters still swear copiously between levels, and zombie heads still explode on a near-constant basis, but the gameplay's slower, the zombies far less diverse, and the levels — which cut some of the original areas and recycle the remaining ones — are more drab and repetitive than crazy and threatening. And while it packs in two of the boss fights from the full-sized version (or three, with Naked Terror), they've been simplified to the point that any personality or challenge has been sapped away.</p><p>Taken on its own, however, it's a fun (if somewhat expensive) rail shooter that packs in an awful lot of blood for an iOS game. Aiming with its virtual-thumbstick controls works surprisingly well, and being able to swap between a pistol and shotgun to keep from being mauled while reloading adds a light element of strategy. Also, as stingy as the game is with its levels, it's generous enough with its in-game currency that you'll be able to rapidly upgrade your guns and abilities to near-unbeatable heights. And while you'll revisit the same areas frequently, the fact that the game charts different paths through them each time definitely helps.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>The bottom line.</strong> The Lost Reels is a pale shadow of the original, but it does a decent job with what little it's been given.</p><fieldset class="fieldgroup group-the-bottom-line"><legend>Review Synopsis</legend><div class="field field-type-text field-field-product">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Product:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/house-dead-overkill-lost-reels/id619501403?mt=8" target="_blank">The House of the Dead: Overkill – The Lost Reels 1.00</a></p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-company">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Company:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
Sega </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-contact">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Contact:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p><a href="http://www.sega.com/" target="_blank">www.sega.com</a></p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-price">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Price:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
$4.99 </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-requirements">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Requirements:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>iPad, iPod touch or iPhone running iOS 5.1 or later</p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-positives">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Positives:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>Fun and bloody, with enough variety to stay interesting throughout its short run time. Looks great. Generous with in-game currency and upgrades.</p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-negatives">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Negatives:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>Three enemy types per level can get pretty repetitive. Floor plans get recycled a lot, especially during the first level. No sweary character commentary (or any voices at all) during gameplay. Having to pay another $1.99 to unlock the third level (and its two stripper characters) is annoying.</p> </div>
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http://www.maclife.com/article/games/house_dead_overkill_%E2%80%93_lost_reels_review#commentsReviewsapp store reviewsAppLifearcade shooterfirst-person shootergallery shooterGamesHouse of the DeadHouse of the Dead: OverkillHouse of the Dead: Overkill - The Lost ReelsiOSios gamesiPod and iPhoneSegashooterSoftwareZombiesGamesGalleryThu, 02 May 2013 02:10:14 +0000Mikel Reparaz16910 at http://www.maclife.comModern Combat 4: Zero Hour Reviewhttp://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/modern_combat_4_zero_hour_review
<!--paging_filter--><p>It's easy to lose perspective on a game like Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour, particularly for those of us who enjoy lavish first-person shooters on consoles or computers. Gameloft's military shooter series seems content to mimic the immensely popular Call of Duty series from other platforms -- and Zero Hour boasts some serious parallels with this year's Black Ops II -- but despite its lack of ambition, the franchise delivers a big and entertaining mobile shooter at a fraction of the cost. Grumble all you want about intentions, but no other iOS game does online shootouts at anywhere near this level.<br /><br />And Zero Hour really does improve on the formula in small, but meaningful ways. Last year's campaign impressed with big set pieces, but dragged thanks to overlong and repetitive missions. Happily, Modern Combat 4 breaks from the formula just a tad with more variety in its action, including both ground and airborne drone vehicle sequences, plus generally more compact missions in the mix. Even the enemy kill animations are greatly improved, though much as the storyline aims to shake things up by letting you play as both the hero and the enemy, the dialogue alternates between generic and offensively tacky. But as a straightforward, action-packed bash through scads of terrorists, it's a definite step up for the series.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u325188/2012/12/mc-body_0.png" width="620" height="349" /></p><p>Online multiplayer is once again the star of this show, however, as the 12-player deathmatch battles and team objective-based modes are remarkably enjoyable, considering the touch-screen interface and tiny price point. With eight distinct play modes across several maps, plus extensive customization and class specialization options, Modern Combat 4 really does deliver on its premise of having a Call of Duty-like shooter to play wherever you are. Using in-game currency (awarded via gameplay, or purchased with cash) to unlock weapons is a step in the wrong direction, though, and hopefully not a trend that'll disrupt the competitive balance in future editions.<br /><br />Zero Hour is a looker, but Gameloft made some curious concessions to keep it running at a steady rate on earlier iOS devices -- like the nine-month-old 3rd generation iPad, on which the game runs at a decidedly non-Retina resolution. It's a little jarring to see the slightly jagged aesthetic on such a sharp screen, but while somewhat disappointing, it doesn't ruin the experience. Expectedly, the game looks its best running on the iPhone 5, though the larger iPad screen offers more precision with the touch controls.<br /><br /><strong>The bottom line</strong>. What Modern Combat 4 lacks in ambition and originality it makes up for with excellent online play and a solid single-player campaign.</p><fieldset class="fieldgroup group-the-bottom-line"><legend>Review Synopsis</legend><div class="field field-type-text field-field-product">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Product:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
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<!--paging_filter--><p><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/modern-combat-4-zero-hour/id558433129?mt=8" target="_blank">Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour 1.0.0</a></p> </div>
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Gameloft </div>
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<!--paging_filter--><p><a href="http://www.gameloft.com" target="_blank">http://www.gameloft.com</a></p> </div>
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<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Price:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
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$6.99 </div>
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<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Requirements:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
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<!--paging_filter--><p>iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running iOS 4.3 or later</p> </div>
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<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Positives:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
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<!--paging_filter--><p>Stellar and robust online multiplayer package. Worthwhile single-player campaign packs more variety than past Gameloft shooters. Quite a lot of gameplay for the price.</p> </div>
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<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Negatives:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
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<!--paging_filter--><p>Runs at a lower resolution on non-current Retina devices. Still seems content to mimic the Call of Duty playbook. Eye-rolling campaign dialogue.</p> </div>
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http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/modern_combat_4_zero_hour_review#commentsReviewsapp store reviewsAppLifeCall of Dutyfirst-person shooterGameloftgamesiPad AppsiPhone and iPodiPodModern Combat 4reviewssoftwareiPadiPhoneiPodMacGamesGalleryTue, 11 Dec 2012 18:33:11 +0000Andrew Hayward15782 at http://www.maclife.com